Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine is safe and efficacious for children ages 6 to 11 years old who recieve two half doses, the company said today. That’s based on the results of its KidCOVE study, which involved more than 4,700 kids in that age group.
The children participating in Moderna’s trial were randomly assigned to receive two half doses of the vaccine or two shots of a placebo. Those who got the vaccine generated adequate virus-fighting antibodies that met the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) requirements for efficacy, and the vaccine produced an immune response in nearly all the children. Side effects from vaccination are mild to moderate and include fatigue, fever, headaches, and pain at injection sites.
A panel of FDA experts will be reviewing data from the Pfizer BioNTech vaccination in children between 5 and 11 years old on October 26. KidCOVE has a slightly different age range, because Pfizer BioNTech covered children as young 5 years old. Moderna continues to research younger children. In the next few months, Moderna will be reporting on results for kids aged 2-5 and under 6 months.
The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently authorized a half dose of Moderna’s vaccine as a booster for certain adults over 18 years old.
